One In The Same
by wheredoesithurt
Summary: Carter's dad is leaving for three weeks on another mission, and she's stuck at home alone. Rosie arranges a way for her to come to Costa Luna to stay. Rosie/Carter
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Saw the premiere of Princess Protection Program, and was inspired. There's just so much left to be told of their story, so I wanted to give it a shot and try to write what I believe should happen. In this story, Rosie isn't Queen yet. Carter is back home while Rosie is in Costa Luna.

Sorry if this chapter is somewhat confusing. If you have any questions, please ask. I'll clear them up for you. It was also become clearer as time goes on. Just keep in mind how Rosie has grown up. Her morals are very different than Carter's, so that's why she feels this way about herself in this chapter. Also, this is a Carter/Rosie story, so if that isn't your cup of tea, well, then you might not like this story. J Enjoy!

--

Princess Rosalinda wasn't selfish. In fact, most of the citizens of Costa Luna would agree that their Princess was anything but. She was the epitome of selflessness.

And that's why she felt so guilty.

She was entirely responsible for an entire county. How could she put her wants above all others? How would that be fair?

Rosalinda rested a hand against her cheek, the other holding the cell phone up to her ear, sighing.

"-and to top it all off, Dad's leaving for two weeks in three days," came Carter's voice across the receiver.

"I'm sorry," Rosie said sadly. "I know how much that hurts you."

She realized that if Carter was there with her, she'd say some sarcastic comment about her language and how undeniable proper and blunt it was. Regular girls don't speak like that, she'd say, somewhat jokingly. And then Rosie would reply with a smile, "Well, I'm not a regular girl, am I?"

There was silence on the other end for a moment, and then, in almost a whisper, "It doesn't hurt me." It was a lie. "I just don't like to be home alone. There's nothing to do here by myself. I'm going to bored out of my mind."

Rosie shook her head, sighing again. "Your Dad will be fine, Carter," she said reassuringly. "And you'll have Ed to keep you company while he is away."

She couldn't help but feel jealous that Ed was there with her and she wasn't. The truth was that Rosie missed her friend.

And there it was -- the guilt. It was overwhelming. She shouldn't put her wants above others, she reminded herself. It wasn't fair. And trying to find a way, without being honest about it, to make Carter come to Costa Luna was wrong.

Right?

"Ed's boring," Carter said, complaining, and Rosie almost laughed. She knew Carter loved the poor boy, even if it was just as a friend. "And if you were here, then we could go swimming or something. It's getting warm here, you know. Perfect swimming weather. I can't go swimming alone."

"Carter-"

Her voice was sad, and she heard her friend sigh across the phone.

"Okay, I'll stop trying to convince you to come visit me, even though you totally could. It's not like you have a whole country to run or something."

Rosie smiled, despite the guilt and the sadness. What if-

She shook her head. No, she thought. Those thoughts weren't right. Her mother taught her to be selfless, and that was what she would be. Completely and utterly selfless. She would not come up with a plan to bring Carter to Costa Luna, and that was final.

"It's ten PM," Rosie said. "I'm sorry, Carter, I've got to go."

It was her mom's rule. Princesses and future queens weren't allowed to be on the phone past ten PM. It was bedtime, and running a country starts at six AM in the morning, bright and early.

She heard Carter groan. "What am I going to do by myself? I'm so bored already!"

"You'll be fine," Rosie said, rolling her eyes, smiling. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Promise?"

She felt the ache again in her chest, the one that wished for Carter to be there with her in person. It wasn't the same just hearing her voice over the phone.

"Promise," Rosie said, standing up from her chair as she heard a knock on her door. "Goodnight, Carter."

The door opened as she flipped the phone closed, revealing her mother, who stood against the door frame, a gentle smile on her face.

"Carter?"

Rosie nodded, grabbing the brush from her nightstand and pulling it through her hair, which was getting longer and longer by the day. It reminded her of when she first met Carter. It had been the same day she felt her heart plummet when they chopped almost all of her hair off as part of her transformation.

"I need to talk to you about something," her mother said, and Rosie looked at her, waiting.

"It's about your coronation. It's in three months, as you know, and it's tradition that a ball is thrown in your honor. I was thinking that maybe it would be nice if you invited Major Mason and his daughter."

Rosie's eyes lit up, her mind already working in overdrive. It was perfect. She could use the excuse, in the mean time, that since Carter's Dad was on leave, Carter could stay with her and her mom in Costa Luna. And, best part, she could explain that she needed Carter's help in preparing the ball.

Then, Carter could fly back down for the actual ball itself. That way, she could spend three, full weeks with her.

Just as fast as Rosie's eyes lit up, they darkened. She couldn't do that, could she? She had expectations of herself. Her country had expectations of her. Was it wrong of her to lie in order to see her friend? To have her live with her for three entire weeks?

And was it really a lie if all she had done was set this up in order to see her friend? Was that selfish of her? Was it wrong to put her wants and needs above the citizens of her country? To spend time with Carter instead of helping others? Instead of going to charity events? Instead of reading to the first grade class at Costa Elementary School?

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Rosie said, placing the brush on her nightstand and stepping toward her mother.

It was now or never, she figured. She had to decide.

Selfish or selfless? Guilt or no guilt?

Damn it, she thought, courage building up inside of her. She hoped she didn't regret this. She hoped that nobody thought less of her. She hoped that Carter didn't hate her when she found out she lied in order to spend time with her.

"I was wondering, Mom," she started, her voice shaky. "Do we need any help preparing the ball?"

Her mother's eyebrows scrunched, obviously confused. "If you're worried that your ball will not be prepared in time, then do not. I've hired much help."

Rosie ignored her. "Maybe Carter could help? She said she needed a summer job. We could pay her. Really, we owe it to Major Mason for saving my life. And yours. It would be the right thing to do, yes?"

Her mother seemed to think about it for a moment, then nodded. "That's very generous of you, Rosalinda. You've really grown into a wonderful, young lady."

"Is that a yes?"

Rosie swallowed the guilt rising in her throat. She could do this.

It was worth it.

"Yes," her mother said, smiling softly at her. "You may inform Carter of this in the morning. For now, it is bedtime. Sleep well, my love."

She kissed her forehead, and then left the room, leaving Rosie to her thoughts.

Would Carter even be interested?


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn't until the next afternoon that Rosie finally mustered up the courage to call her friend. She waited until about the fourth ring, almost ready to hang up, nervous, when Carter answered the phone.

"Hey, what's up?"

Carter sounded excited about something, and Rosie smiled.

"Hey, how was your day?" she asked, sitting down on her bed in her suite. It was almost completely silent in her part of the castle. She was thankful. All she wanted was ten minutes to herself with no interruptions -- for once.

"It was fine," Carter said. "I woke up at about twelve, and then went fishing with Ed. You?"

Rosie laughed, rolling her eyes. "I told you that you wouldn't be bored without me there," she said, and then sobered. "My day was busy. Everyone kept asking me about my coronation and plans and details. It's tiring. I don't know how many times Mr. Elegante made me try on different versions of the same dress. Says he wants to find the perfect colour for my complexion."

She heard a laugh on the other end of the phone. "Tell him you look best in blue," Carter said, and Rosie's eyes widened. "Unless you have your hair up. Then you look better in pink. Save the poor guy some time."

Rosie blushed, feeling her heart suddenly pound in her chest. She wasn't sure why, but it baffled her that Carter would say something like that. It was so unlike her. But then again, they were closer than most friends.

"Oh," she said softly, her voice barely a whisper. "I will tell him, thank you. But there's something I wanted to talk to you about first. That's why I called."

"Yeah?"

Rosie lay down on her bed, the nerves coming back. "You said your father was leaving for a few weeks. Well, my mom said we needed to find help to prepare my coronation, and I mentioned you. We'd pay, of course, and fly you down here. That way you won't be stuck at home by yourself. Oh, and you could stay here in my wing of the castle. If you'd like." It wasn't all a lie, but she felt guilty nonetheless.

"Oh," Carter said, almost sadly, and Rosie's heart dropped. She knew she shouldn't have even tried. Why would Carter want to spend her summer helping her staff prepare a coronation in Costa Luna? "I'd love to go. I just- I have to watch the bait shop while my dad is gone. But I can try to find someone to replace me or something."

"What about Ed?" Rosie asked, hopeful.

She heard a sigh. "I'll ask him, but I don't know if he can."

Rosie picked at the cover of her comforter, looking down. She felt rejected all of a sudden. "It's okay. It was just a suggestion."

"I want to go," Carter said, again, as if she knew how Rosie was feeling. "I'll ask Ed tonight."

"Okay-" she went to say more when a knock came at her door. "Excuse me for a moment, please."

She could almost hear Carter rolling her eyes.

"Please come in," Rosie called out, and the door opened, revealing her mother. She sat up, smoothing out her dress. It wasn't usual that her mother ever knocked when it was just her.

"Good afternoon, Rosalinda," her mother said, smiling. "You have a visitor."

Rosie nodded. "Alright, one moment, mother. Carter?" she said into the phone. "I must go. I have a visitor. Please call me back tonight after you talk to Ed."

"Okay, talk to you later." For some reason, Carter seemed disappointed, and Rosie closed the phone shut sadly. She just waned to talk to her friend without seeing anyone else. Was that so much to ask? She shook her head. No, that was wrong. She had time for more than just herself.

"Amando is here to see you," her mother said. "He is waiting in the garden."

Rosie's eyes widened, and she stood, quickly placing the phone on her nightstand. "Amando? From school?" When her mother nodded, she continued. "Did he say why he was here?"

Amando was a beautiful boy, about six-foot tall with dark, shaggy brown hair. He was at the top of their class. That's why he went to the same special school that she went to. He was, in their opinion, a potential math and science genius. She felt her stomach drop. As beautiful as he was, she felt wary around him. He'd asked her out countless times, but she just wasn't interested. Plus, she had duties to attend to, and a boy would just be a distraction. He always made her feel nervous, and not in a good way. He just seemed too into her, and what if all he was interested in was her crown?

"He did not," she said, her eyes twinkling. "He only said that he wished to see you. He is a good looking boy, no? I think he likes you."

"Mother, please don't," Rosie said, groaning. "I do not wish to date anyone right now. I just want to focus on the coronation and school."

"Rosalinda, you should give him a chance." Her mother placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders, looking her in the eyes. "You spend all your time in meetings, and when you do have free time, you lock yourself up in this room. Every time I see you alone, you are talking to Carter. You can't keep shutting yourself up like this. As Queen, one day you will need to marry and carry on this family. I'm not saying that you need to find somebody right now, but it's something to think about."

Rosie wanted to roll her eyes, but refrained. She couldn't act the same way around her mother as she did with Carter. And why did her mother have a problem with her talking to Carter anyway? Carter was her best friend. Besides her mother, Carter was the only other person that Rosie was truly close to.

Despite all this, she felt another wave of guilt wash over her. It was true. If she became Queen without a husband and family, and something happened to her, then Costa Luna would be open and vulnerable to a dictatorship. Her mother was right. She needed to think about Costa Luna's future, and if that meant sacrificing her happiness for another man, then she'd just have to deal with that.

"I will try to be better," Rosie said, forcing a smile on her face. She quickly pulled her mother to her in a hug. "I am sorry I have been so selfish."

Her mother shook her head as she pulled away. "You are everything but selfish, Rosalinda," she said. "And you are too hard on yourself. We'll figure this out together."

"Thank you." She felt her eyes water, and her mother smiled.

"Come on, Amando is waiting. We'll talk about this more tomorrow."

Rosie nodded, wiping her eyes, and then grabbed her cell phone off her nightstand. "Goodnight, mother," she said quickly, giving her a kiss on the cheek before leaving her room.

The garden was located at the center of the castle, outside. Thankfully for Rosie, it was not far away from her wing. It was also her favourite place to visit at night. It was beautifully decorated, covered in roses, lilies, and tulips with a tall, glowing fountain in the middle. The entire place was covered in small, twinkling lights. Sometimes, when she couldn't sleep, Rosie would sneak out of her wing and read on a bench by the fountain.

Amando stood when he saw her, grinning. Rosie felt herself stiffen. He was still as beautiful as ever, but she couldn't see herself with him, not as a husband. Actually, she wasn't attracted to any of the boys at school now that she really thought about it.

"Princess," he said, his voice deeper than she remembered, as he bowed. She blushed despite herself.

"Amando, it is a pleasure seeing you here. Please, sit."

He nodded, sitting down on the bench, and she followed. She, for a moment, wanted to ask him if they could go somewhere else. She knew it was immature of her, but she only wanted good memories in her garden. Not to mention, it was hers. Why did he have to visit her here of all place in the entire castle?

"You look beautiful tonight," he said, the grin never leaving his face. "How has your summer been treating you?"

She placed her hand in her coat pocket, feeling for her phone. She wondered briefly if Carter had talked to Ed, or if she was even interested in coming to Costa Luna at all. "It is well, but busy. And yourself?"

"I have heard about your coronation. It is in a month, yes?"

She nodded, so he continued. "Yes, that must have you very busy. I've been busy as well. I'm currently doing at internship at my father's office. He is a doctor," Amando said, his tone beaming pride.

She forced another smile. "That must be very wonderful."

"It is." His face dropped for a moment. "I wanted to ask you something tonight."

Her heart almost stopped, and she swallowed past the tightness in her throat. _Don't ask me out_, she thought, pleading. _Please don't ask me out_. "Yes?" she asked, her voice wavering.

"Will you accompany me on a date this weekend? I know you have said you were busy during school and could not make a time, but now that it is summer, I was wondering if you could fit me into your schedule."

She breathed in, wishing she could roll her eyes. What made him think she was less busy now with her coronation coming? He had said himself that he could see how busy she was lately.

The first thought in her mind was to tell him no, gently, and that she honestly was not interested in him, or anyone for that matter. However, her mother's words from earlier came to mind, and she stopped herself. Her mother seemed to like Amando, and he liked her. Maybe if she dated him, she could somehow force herself to fall in love with him. He seemed trustworthy and responsible, and he was obviously intelligent. He had the potential to make an adequate King for their country.

Just as she went to say yes, her phone rang from her pocket. She grinned, a real one this time.

"I'm sorry, Amando, I really need to answer this. It's very important."

It wasn't necessarily a lie, she thought. Carter was important, at least to her.

He nodded as she stood up from the bench. "Of course, Princess. I will wait for you."

"Thank you."

She hurriedly turned and walked a short ways away from the bench, finding a private spot in the garden before calling Carter back.

Carter picked up after only the first ring, giving a quick "Hey."

Rosie felt her heart race. "Hey, I was beginning to worry that you would not call me back tonight," she said, her tone teasing.

Carter laughed. "We don't have time to flirt right now, Rosie, I have something to tell you." She sounded excited, and Rosie blushed.

She should have been use to Carter's jokes by now, but they still affected her. She wasn't use to them. "I was not flirting. That would be physically impossible, Carter."

"How would that be physically impossible? As long as you can speak or move your body, you can flirt. And seeing as you can do both, then you most definitely have the capability to flirt."

Rosie laughed. "I meant that you're a girl."

"So?"

Rosie cleared her throat, suddenly feeling awkward. What did she mean? She ignored Carter's words. "So... what do you have to tell me?"

Carter was silent for a moment. "I talked to my dad, and he said I can come stay with you, and Ed actually volunteered to look over the bait shop for me when I told him, so now that I've got all the bases covered, Costa Luna, here I come!"

"That's great!" Rosie grinned, excited. "I'll inform my mother first thing in the morning, and we will purchase your tickets."

"I can't wait to see you."

"You too," Rosie said, looking over her shoulder. Amando was still waiting. "But I have to go now. My visitor is still here. I will call you in the morning though after I talk with my mother."

"Alright, talk to you then. Goodnight!"

"Sweet dreams."

Rosie flipped the phone closed, and sighed. She stood there for a moment, thinking about everything she wanted to say to her best friend, of all the things she wanted them to do while she was in Costa Luna. Reluctantly, she turned and walked back over to Amando.

"I'm sorry you waited so long," she said as he stood up from the bench. "But I'd love to go out with you this weekend."

--

A/N: Thank you all for so many lovely reviews! When I checked my inbox, I was seriously surprised, and am so grateful. :) I hope you guys also liked this chapter. I actually wrote out an outline for the story today, so it's all mostly planned now. There's going to be a lot more drama coming up soon. Relationships, new feelings, and secresy, just to let you know. And definitely expect LOTS of drama between Amando and Carter. You'll see, haha. Please contact me if you have any comments or suggestions. Enjoy!


	3. Chapter 3

Rosie twisted her hands together nervously as she stood near Gate 14B at Costa Luna International Airport. Her stomach was doing flips she had never known before, almost like how she felt when her mother was taken and she was shipped off to Louisiana to stay with Mr. Mason and his daughter. This time, however, there was no fear. Excitement jumped in her throat as she tried to keep a smile off of her face.

"Princess," a male voice said from behind her, and she jumped. Antonio's eyes looked down on her, concerned, his tall frame looming over her. "Your water."

He handed her the bottle, which she took gratefully, her hand shaking. Antonio was one of her many bodyguards. "Thank you, Antonio," she said, her voice wavering. "You didn't have to do that for me. I could have gotten it myself."

"It was an honor," he said to her. "And it is my job."

She opened her mouth to speak when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning, her eyes widened and all words stuck in her throat.

"I can see you're glad to see me," Carter's teasing voice said lowly as she laughed at her friend's expression.

They both saw stars as Rosie clung to her in a crushing hug, almost making her dizzy.

"Rosie! Let go! I can't breathe."

Rosie blushed furiously as she let go, brushing herself off and standing up straight, like the Princess she was supposed to be portraying at the moment. She had forgotten all about the fact that there were many people around them in the airport. "I apologize," she said, still excited, but holding it in well. "It's so good to see you!"

Carter smiled, her dark hair tied at the back of her head in a ponytail. A single suitcase sat beside her.

"Ms. Mason," Antonio said, bowing slightly, and Carter blushed. "Let me take your luggage for you. Our transportation is just outside these doors if you both will follow me."

Both girls nodded as they fell into step with Antonio. As soon as she knew he was no longer listening to their conversation, Rosie gushed, "I have so many things planned, and your room is right next to mine so if you need me, I will only be a few steps away. My mother can't wait to meet you, also. She is excited."

Carter rolled her eyes, but grinned. "I can't believe I'm in Costa Luna again. I honestly never thought I'd have the chance to come back."

Rosie looked at her seriously. "It's a beautiful place. I'm so lucky to live here. Oh, thank you, Antonio," she said as he held the door open for the pair.

"It is my pleasure."

"Thanks," Carter said, blushing. She didn't know if she could get use to this.

"The car is this way," he said, and began in that direction. "And we are very happy to have you here, Ms. Mason. I hope that your stay will be a pleasant one."

"I don't see how it couldn't be," Carter said, looking over at Rosie as Antonio opened the car door for her and she made her way inside. "My best friend lives here."

--

Laughter echoed throughout the marbled room.

"Are you serious?" Carter asked Rosie's mother, who sat across from the pair on the dark plush couch in the sitting room.

"Mother!"

Rosie's blush didn't go unnoticed by both Carter and Rosie's mother, who continued to laugh, a glass of wine dangling from her fingers.

"Yes, every night, she'd insist that Alicia went to dinner with us in the Royal Dining Room," she said, referring to Rosie's stuffed teddy bear that she had owned when she was five. "and of course, Alicia would have to get the Princess treatment. If Rosalinda had to have a pedicure before a ball, so did Alicia. They were inseparable for years."

"Aw, that's so cute!" Carter said, grinning.

Rosie groaned. "Mother, please," she said, her voice pleading.

"Rosie's embarrassed!" Carter said as Rosie's mother's eyes gleamed, and she began to laugh. "I never thought it would happen!"

Rosie's mother looked up for a moment, and when Carter turned to see what she was looking at, she noticed a tall, burly man making hand motions at her.

"Please excuse me," she said, placing the glass of wine on the dark, mahogany table, and stood up from the couch. "I've got to take care of some business."

Once she had left the room, Carter smiled, which Rosie noticed with a grimace. "Don't say it, Carter. I know. It took me a little while to mature. Otherwise, I would have never been so selfish as to force my maids to do such a thing to a teddy bear."

Carter's smile vanished, and she shook her head. "You were five. It's what little girls do. it's nothing to feel guilty for, you know."

"Maybe."

Carter sighed. "So, thanks for inviting me. I don't know if I told you that yet, but I'm really glad I'm here."

Rosie gave a small smile, nodding. "Me too." She brushed her dark hair behind her before continuing tiredly. "How's Mr. Mason?"

"My Dad?" Carter said, raising one eyebrow. "He's doing fine, I guess. He can't call while on his mission. But it's whatever. I'm use to it."

The bitterness in her voice was unmistakable, but Rosie didn't mention it. She knew Carter would just deny it. "My dad use to go away a lot, too, on visiting trips to other countries to discuss Costa Luna. He was determined to keep the peace."

A ghost of a smile fell over her face as she continued. "He cared a lot for Costa Luna. It's one of the many things that I admired him for when he was alive. I hope that I can make him proud when I am Queen."

"I'm sure he's already proud of you," Carter said. "How did he die?"

Rosie cringed at the words, and Carter regretted them quickly. She was so use to the way they talked about things back home. Rosie obviously wasn't.

"Plane crash," she said, swallowing past the lump in her throat at the words. "He was on his way to the Philippines."

"My mom had a stroke when I was twelve," Carter said suddenly, not sure why. She never talked about her mom, even when asked directly, but for some reason, she felt the intense need to now. "We had to take her off life support a few days after. My dad was a mess when it happened."

Rosie looked at her, her eyes glossy from unshed tears. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Carter said, forcing a smile. "I've had my time to deal."

Instinctively, Carter placed a hand over Rosie's, ignoring the shock that went through her body at the touch. Her fingers entwined with Rosie's, caressing the top of her hand absentmindedly, hoping to comfort her friend.

Rosie's eyes met hers, and then suddenly, she was standing, tearing apart their joined hands. "I should continue the tour," she said despite the confused look that crossed over Carter's face.

"Rosie-"

"I still haven't show you your room," Rosie said, forcing a smile as she stood in front of Carter feeling awkward. "It's beautiful. I'm sure you will love it."

Nodding, Carter stood up from her seat. "Alright," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "I'm kind of tired anyway. The plane ride really got to me."

"You can take a nap if you'd like."

"Yeah, thanks," she said, her voice almost a whisper as she tried to meet her friend's eyes.

Rosie purposefully avoided her gaze as she turned, walking ahead of Carter towards her wing of the castle. "Come on. I'll show you the garden on the way there. It's my favourite spot."

--

A/N: Alright, this is kind of a short chapter, and it's definitely not as dramatic as the coming chapter will be, which will include Amando (your favourite character, right?) :) Okay, I'm bad at sarcasm at the moment. The next chapter is already written, so I'll post soon. I hope you all are enjoying this story so far.

As I've said before, if you guys have any suggestions or comments, please review or email them to me. I'd be happy to hear and include what you guys would like to see happen.


	4. Chapter 4

It didn't take long for Carter to fit in comfortably with her entire family, Rosie noted as she changed out of her dinner attire and into a light, summery dress. Something more her.

With only three weeks until her coronation, Rosie's entire world was a blur. She had never seen so many of her family members and members of the Costa Luna government together at once in their marbled Dining Room. It was blissful chaos, and Rosie was a terrible mess of excitement and nerves as the coronation drew closer day by day.

The best part was the fact that Carter was there to relax her. It gave her a break from worrying about Costa Luna, as horrible as it sounded.

A knock sounded at the door, and Carter peeked her head in, grinning, her hair still wet from her shower. "Hey, your mom just came by and told me to tell you goodnight while you were getting dressed. She was with that one guy -- the tall, brown-haired one, whatever his name was," she said, one eyebrow raised.

"Antonio," Rosie said, rolling her eyes. "And my mother is not dating him, Carter. He's our bodyguard, not her boyfriend."

"He follows her everywhere," Carter said as she made her way into the room. "And your mom was flirting with him. They're totally into each other."

Rosie ignored the comment. "My mother would never do that," she said hotly, "She still loves my father."

Carter opened her mouth, to tell her that her dad was gone and that it was only natural for her mom to move on, but she stopped herself. Nodding, she sat down on the bed.

"Your family is pretty cool," she said, changing the subject. "I didn't expect that."

Rosie smiled at this. "You know what's crazy?" she asked, sitting down next to her friend on the bed. "They never, ever act that way around new people. I mean, they don't just accept someone that easily like they did with you. I think they really like you." She laughed suddenly. "I remember when I was sixteen, I brought home my first boyfriend. I thought that was what I was supposed to do. I could tell they were annoyed with me just for bringing him. My Aunt lectured me later that night about 'continuing the family name now that my father was gone' and 'picking the right guy next time'."

Carter raised an eyebrow, obviously surprised. "They made you break up with him?"

"Oh, no, no," Rosie said, shaking her head, laughing. "At first, I ignored all of their comments. I'm not sure what happened exactly after that. We didn't seem to fit."

It was silent for a moment, and then Carter nodded awkwardly. "So... any boyfriends after that?"

Rosie looked at her. "Only one. My mother set us up for a few dates, but there was no spark. I talked to her about it a few weeks later, and she told me the right thing to do was to break it off with him and not lead him on if I wasn't fully committed. What about you?"

Carter shrugged. "Three, when I was younger. I don't know. I just don't think I like guys."

When Rosie looked at her, wide-eyes, Carter panicked, realizing how her words could be misinterpreted. "Right now," she said quickly. "I don't like the guys right now. They're not mature enough, you know? It's annoying."

Rosie slowly smiled. "Aw, poor Ed."

"Oh God." Carter's head fell into her hands with a groan. "Don't remind me. I already feel bad enough."

"He seems mature," Rosie said. "And he's definitely a good friend."

"Exactly!" Carter said, her voice rising, throwing her hands in the air for emphasis. "We're friends. I'm just not attracted to him. I can't help it."

"I know." Rosie sobered, and somewhat reluctantly (although she wasn't sure why), she placed a hand on her friend's back. It felt weird to her, but she ignored it. "It's not your fault. I was just messing with you."

Carter looked up at this, her mouth open with shock. "I can't believe you!" She moved around so that she was facing her friend, and then pushed her backwards onto the bed. "I didn't even know you had it in you! I'm so proud."

Both girls erupted in laughter at this as Rosie pretended to look offended. "I can't believe you pushed me!" she said, smiling. "I should be mad at you."

Carter pinched her side, and Rosie twisted her body around on the bed, away from her hand, laughing. "Did you just _tickle _me?"

Laughter filled room again when there was a cough, and both girls sobered instantly. Rosie lifted herself into a sitting position, smoothing out her hair and dress, wide-eyed. A man stood at the entrance of her doorway.

"I apologize for interrupting, Princess Rosalinda," he said, bowing his head. "But your door was open."

Rosie forced a small smile, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "It's alright," she said, trying to keep her voice from wavering. "You may come in."

"Thank you," he said, stepping into the room. "I have come to let you know that you have a visitor in the garden."

Rosie's smile dropped. She felt annoyed for some reason. Her garden was her place, and if her visitor was in the garden, then she must know them pretty well, whoever they were. "I do?" she asked, surprised. "Who?"

"Amando."

Her heart dropped, and she felt frustration fall over her. She had forgotten all about tonight -- the night she was supposed to meet for a date. Her eyes widened. "Thank you," she said quickly. "Please tell him that I apologize for keeping him waiting, and that I will meet him in the garden in ten minutes."

The man bowed his head again, and left the room.

"Who's Amando?" Carter asked, and Rosie felt herself being pulled back into the present.

"I have a date with him tonight."

For some reason, Carter looked disappointed. Her entire spirit seemed to fall.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before," Rosie said. She felt horrible for almost breaking a promise to someone, and even worse for having to leave her friend behind for a few hours. She wished, at that moment, that she could call the whole thing off. She didn't even really want to go. "But he asked me out a few nights ago, and my mom really likes him."

Carter crossed her arms over her chest, her eyebrows raised. "You're going out with a guy just because your mom likes him?"

Rosie's expression hardened at the comment. "Yes, I am," she said, her voice low. "Costa Luna is the most important thing to me, and if I have to marry somebody just to keep Costa Luna safe, then I will."

"Wait, you're going to marry the guy? You barely know him!" Carter was shocked, and her face showed it.

"No," Rosie said quickly. "I don't know. We're just going on a date, but it is something I need to think about."

Carter nodded her head, then she forced herself to smile. "Is he cute?"

Rosie blushed at the thought. She did not want to have this discussion with Carter. It felt awkward, like she was doing something wrong. "He's beautiful," she said honestly. What she didn't say, however, was that she just didn't think she was attracted to him.

"Ooh la la," Carter said jokingly, rolling her eyes. "You'll give me details later?"

"I'll be in the garden alone in three hours," Rosie said, nodding. "Will you meet me there?"

Carter seemed to think for a second, and then she nodded. "Yeah, I will."

--

A/N: Alright, some major changes to this story, but I hoenstly think that in the long run, you all will like them a lot better. I had this entire story mapped out in my head, but while I was writing today, it morphed into something very different, but better.

I cut this chapter short, as the next will be extra long, so I hope that you guys will enjoy that. I know I said Amando will be in this chapter. Obviously, he is not, as I've started the changes now. He will appear, however, after this next upcoming chapter. And if you're wondering when Carter and Rosie will get closer, if you know what I mean, then you will be very happy to know that there will be a most definite hint in the next chapter.

I've very excited about these changes. I think they're more appealing, and more realistic. Above all, I think many people will be able to relate to it. I hope that this story will open eyes for some, open doors for change, and for those with mixed feelings about their orientation, I hope that it will open their hearts so that they can make peace with their thoughts and be happy with who they are. Although I have no dealt with this myself, I hope that I can portray it well nonetheless.


	5. Chapter 5

"You're late."

The words rang through Rosie's ears, but she barely heard them. Her date with Armando kept going through her head, making her feel dizzy and sick all at the same time. She almost thought that Carter sounded jealous until she smiled from where she sat, her legs crossed on her favourite bench in the garden.

"So, what happened?" she asked, excited. When Rosie didn't return the same enthusiasm, her smile dropped. "Oh, that bad?"

Rosie managed a small shake of her head as she sighed, sitting down beside her friend. "I have no idea," she said honestly, meeting her friend's eyes. "He tried to kiss me."

"And?"

"I freaked," she said, now looking down at her hands, a small blush appearing on her cheeks. "I don't know why, Carter, I really don't. He's very handsome, and he's the perfect gentlemen for the most part. It's just- he leaned over, and I just panicked. Then I told him I always waited until the second date to move farther, which is a lie."

"Dude, why?" Carter asked, one eyebrow raised, her voice loud. "I thought you liked him."

"I do."

When Carter continued to give her a look, Rosie sighed. "Just not like that. I'm not attracted to him -- at all. I can't explain it."

Carter cracked a smile at her, pulling a blanket around her shoulders. "You don't have to explain anything. I get it, seriously. Nobody is attracted to everyone, you know?"

"I know, but-" she started, but with a cringe, she stopped, looking away from her friend.

"But what?" Carter asked, confused.

Rosie looked around the garden, looking to see if anybody was around, if any one soul other than Carter could possibly hear them in the secluded area. Swallowing, she messed with her fingers nervously.

"Can I tell you something?"

"Okay," Carter said, giving her a weird look. "Sure."

With a sigh, Carter's face became expressionless as she turned toward her friend. "I don't think I'm attracted to anyone. Honestly, maybe I'm a defect. I've never liked any of the boys I've dated, and I've never really cared to date any boy anyway, unless I thought that it was necessary or thought it was what I should be doing."

Carter stared at her for a moment, and then she sobered, reaching out a comforting hand to her friend, who actually took it without a second thought this time. "Maybe you just haven't found the right guy yet. I mean, look at what we have to work with. There's really not much hope for either of us at the moment."

This caused Rosie to laugh, and Carter smiled in return.

"But what if there's something wrong with me?" Rosie asked insecurely, running one hand through her tousled hair.

Carter seemed to think for a moment. "Okay, well, have you actually ever enjoyed kissing a guy?"

When Rosie cringed, Carter continued. "Have you ever daydreamed about anything, like a relationship or--" she stopped, blushing, knowing she wouldn't say the rest out loud, not with Rosie the way she was -- so proper.

Carter nodded slowly, almost reluctantly.

"With a guy?"

Rosie didn't respond. She was silent, shaking slightly from nerves and the light breeze.

"With a girl?"

Carter wasn't sure why she said it, but she immediately regretted it when Rosie practically freaked, jumping from her seat, her eyes wide.

"I can't like girls," Rosie said, almost desperately. "I don't like girls."

Carter nodded, swallowing past the lump in her throat. "Have you ever thought about a girl like that? Have you ever imagined..." she cringed a little saying it. "...kissing a girl?"

For a moment, there was no other noise besides the breeze whipping through the flowers in the dimly-lit garden. Both girls stared at each other -- Carter with wide eyes and Rosie with tears in hers.

Reluctantly and soberly, she nodded.

"Oh," Carter said, taking a deep breath. "How long?"

Somehow, Rosie found her voice. "What do you mean?"

"How long have you been thinking about this?"

Rosie looked down at her shoes, obviously embarrassed and ashamed to even be talking about it. "A few months." Before Carter could respond, Rosie continued, her voice low and desperate. "It's not what you think. I'm not like that. I can't be. But it's been getting worse. I know it's horrible. You probably hate me. Everyone would hate me if they knew, but I can't help it, I promise. If I could, I would. I'd be with Armando right now, but I'm not. I have no idea what to do. I'm so confused and lost and I don't want to be like this. I can't be like this."

"So, you like girls?" Carter asked, the words coming out of her mouth cold and bitter. It felt weird, even to her, to hear that question in the open air instead of just in her head.

Rosie looked at her, her eyes still watery as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't know, Carter. I know what I've been thinking, but I really don't know. I keep telling myself that I'm just going through a stage, that every girl does this at one point in her life, but I'm not so sure it's going to convince me."

"So, if you kissed a girl, would you know for sure?"

Rosie's eyes widened as she looked at her friend weirdly. Then, slowly, "I would think so," she said, shaking her head. "But I wouldn't do that. I can't let anybody else know about this. Carter, you have to promise me that you won't tell anybody. This has to stay between us, please."

"I won't tell anyone," Carter said quickly, forcing a smile. "But, what if you, uh, tried it out on me? Then nobody would have to know, and you would know the truth for sure."

"You think I should kiss you?" Rosie said, nervous all of a sudden. "Carter, I couldn't ask you to do that. I wouldn't. You're my best friend. I don't want to force you to do anything that would be uncomfortable for you."

"It won't be," she said, standing up to stand next to her. "You're my best friend, too, Rosie. If this is going to help you figure things out, then I'll help any way that I can."

"Even if I do feel anything, it doesn't mean I'm going to act on it," Rosie said, nervous. "I could never do that with anyone. I'm not that kind of girl, honestly, and I don't want you to worry if I'm going to like you like that or something. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable around me after this."

Carter shook her head. "It won't make things weird, if that's what you're really worried about. I won't let it, okay? We won't even have to ever bring this up again if you don't want me to. We'll bury it."

Rosie nodded, clearing her throat and moistening her lips on reflex. "Alright. We never mention this ever again."

"Ready?"

She heard Carter's voice, but it was a dull throb in her ears. Her eyes closed and her stomach felt sick. She had never felt so nervous in her life.

Without replying, she reached out a hand, her eyes still closed, until her fingers found Carter's shoulder. She could feel the blanket that was wrapped around her shoulders and the outline of her tank top underneath. Taking in a deep breath, she let her fingers travel across her shoulder, finding the hollow of her throat and continuing upwards.

"Tell me if this isn't okay," Rosie asked, her voice wavering.

She could feel Carter nod, and so she didn't stop until her palm met the cool skin of Carter's cheek. With her whole body shaking, she stepped in closer to her friend, nearing her lips closer to Carter's slowly.

She never expected the warmth of Carter's lips until she felt them with her own. Her lips brushed against hers for a moment, and then she pulled back, shocked. Her eyes opened for a moment. Carter's were closed tightly, her whole body rigid in its place. In a second, and without knowing why, Rosie found herself pressing her lips against Carter's again, this time harder and with more pressure. Her hand moved toward the back of her head, holding her close.

"I'm sorry," Carter finally said, pulling back, eyes wide. She wanted to apologize more, to tell Rosie that she just needed a break, that it was all way too much for her to handle, and that it wasn't her fault, but the words never came. She cleared her throat, adverting her eyes from Rosie's awkwardly.

Rosie nodded, stepping back away from her friend. "Me too," she said sullenly, her lips still buzzing. "Would you like to go inside?"

Carter nodded, and Rosie looked at her, confused. "Thank you, Carter, for doing that for me. I know it was hard for you."

"You're welcome," Carter said after clearing her throat and looking away. "Did you figure it out?"

Numb, Rosie nodded. "Yes, I think I did." After a few second of awkward silence, Rosie turned, leading the way back towards their wing of the castle.

--

Alright, hope you guys enjoyed chapter five. :) I'd love to hear what you guys have to say about it as well as any critiques or suggestions that you have. Was it too rushed? Did it sound believable? How was the writing itself? I'm trying to take this time to improve by practicing, so any comments would help immensely and are greatly appreciated. Thanks!


	6. Chapter 6

Rosie couldn't explain it. Carter seemed to completely forget about the other night in the garden as she laughed, her cheeks flushed from the warmth of the summer breeze. Rosie caught her eye for a moment as Carter continued to talk to her cousin, but Carter quickly adverted hers, completely enthralled in the conversation.

It was like it never happened, and she should have been happy, that was for sure. But she wasn't. If she couldn't stop thinking about it, then how could Carter? And what did Carter truly think about her now? She didn't seem grossed out or weirded out, and for that, Rosie was thankful.

At least that was something.

But it was like that night was playing on repeat in her head. She wasn't confused anymore. The answer and solution to her problem was perfectly simple. It just didn't exist, and nobody would know that it ever existed anyway. She knew what she had to do.

She walked across the marbled floor, her head held high with confidence she had never known before. The warm air coming in from the open windows was making her skin feel clammy and hot as she made her way through the massive swarm of people toward a couple standing, secluded, in the corner of the room.

"Amando," she said, and he turned toward her, a glass in his hand.

The woman he was talking to raised an eyebrow, but forced a smile nonetheless. Her dark, brown hair was twirled into a French twist that hung at the nape of her neck. The royal blue dress that she wore complimented her thin frame, stopping at her knees.

Rosie found herself almost disappointed that she wasn't jealous at all.

"Princess," the woman said, bowing, her actions mechanical in nature.

Rosie bowed in return, and then turned her eyes toward Amando. "My apologies for interrupting. I hope you do not mind, but I'd like to speak with Amando for a moment."

The woman pursed her lips, but nodded. "Of course," she said, her voice low as she gave Amando a look of frustration and walked away.

"I must admit, Princess," Amando said, one eyebrow raised, "that I did not expect you to talk to me." He placed his glass down on the table and then folded his hands behind his back, looking at her expectantly.

Rosie almost cringed, but held it in, giving him a small smile. "I'd understand why," she said. "And that's why I'd like to apologize for my behaviour the other night. It was unforgivable, I know."

He stared at her for a moment, processing her words, his face expressionless. "You know, Princess," he said, his voice dark, "if you did not wish to accompany me on a date that night, then you could have just said so from the beginning instead of running out on me. I wouldn't have judged you negatively."

Rosie gripped her fingers anxiously, the confidence wearing thin. "That wasn't it at all, I promise. I did- do want to date you. To be honest, I'm not exactly sure what overcame me that night. I was hoping that you would forgive me, although I understand if you can't."

A hint of a smile came over his lips, and nodded. "I'll forgive you on one condition," he said, his voice almost teasing now. She noticed his entire persona changed once she said those words. "Be my date to Summertide on Friday."

She sighed, but forced a smile. Summertide was an annual festival involving parades, fireworks, and worst of all, dancing. She nodded reluctantly, swallowing the guilt, knowing that she was deceiving him. Despite her lack of attraction or interest in him, she knew she could be a good date. She could be more than that, and she would. For the sake of her family. For the sake of her country.

For the sake of her reputation.

"I'd love that," she said, her voice wavering.

With a grin, Amando gently reached for her hand, holding it between his hard, calloused one as he brought it up to his mouth, kissing her skin softly.

She briefly saw Carter move around the crowd of people and her confused expression as she caught sight of them. Ignoring her, she turned her eyes toward Amando's.

"Until Friday then."

--

It was later, after the party, that she found Carter sitting on her bed in her room. Refusing to meet her eyes, Rosie brushed through her tangled, wet curls with her fingers as she closed the door behind her.

"So, I talked to your Mom," Carter said, her voice low. "And she said that you were going on a date with Amando. I saw you with him, you know."

Rosie wrinkled her eyebrows, but walked over toward her vanity and sat down, looking at herself in the mirror, still trying to wrestle all the tangled hair free with her brush.

"Yes, it's true," Rosie said with mock confidence in herself, ignoring the confusion and frustration in Carter's voice. "He asked me to Summertide, and I agreed."

Carter stood up, her arms over her chest and her eyes narrowed. "That's it?" she asked incredulously. "That's all you have to say?"

Rosie turned toward her for a moment, not quite sure why Carter was acting so unlike herself, but nodded. "Yes."

"What about the other night? You know, when you said you liked girls?" Carter asked, angry.

Rosie's eyes narrowed as she also stood up, tossing the brush on her seat. "You promised you'd never mention it again. What if somebody could hear this conversation?"

Carter ignored her. "You told me you didn't even like Amando, and now you're going out with him? It doesn't make any sense at all, Rosie. What is going on with you, huh?"

"I told you that I didn't know if I liked girls or not, and then at the end of the night, I said I had figured it out. How do you know what kind of conclusion I came to?" Rosie said, her cheeks flushed and her jaw clenched. On some level, she was ashamed. Hearing those words out loud again just made her cringe.

Carter's entire demeanor seemed to fall as her expression softened. "Oh, I guess I just assumed-"

She looked so apologetic all of a sudden that Rosie sighed, her eyes downcast. "You assumed right, okay? But I told you, I'm not that type of girl. It's not who I am, and to be honest, I'd prefer it if we never talked about this ever again."

Carter's mouth dropped. "But if I assumed right, then why are you going out with him? How could you? You don't even like him."

"Why do you care so much?" Rosie asked, frustrated as she ran a hand through her tousled hair. "What does it matter to you?"

It was silent for a moment, and then Carter looked down at the floor.

"I don't know," she said, her voice low. "I-"

"Wait, Carter," Rosie said, interrupting her friend. "I'm sorry. I've been so rude to you. It's just that this whole thing is extremely difficult for me to wrap my mind around, and I never meant to take it out on you."

Rosie sat down on her bed in defeat, sighing, and Carter followed, looking nervous.

"But I can't explain it to you," Rosie said, continuing. "It's just something I need to deal with myself. It's my problem, and the way I handle that problem is up to me."

Carter looked down, and the room was back to silence.

"This doesn't leave this room," Carter said suddenly, and Rosie gave her a confused look. "But I can't stop thinking about that night."

Rosie swallowed past the lump that had formed in her throat as her mouth suddenly went dry. "Why?"

"I don't know," she said honestly. "It's not that I'm attracted to you or anything, I swear. I'm just curious."

"Curious about what?"

Carter seemed to think for a second, and then she gave a sigh, looking nervous again. "Curious in general... about being with a girl. I don't know why or how, I can't explain it, Rosie, but I can't stop thinking about it."

Rosie nodded. "It's okay," she said, giving a small smile. "That doesn't mean that these thoughts have to mean anything. It's natural to be curious." She looked down, and then continued. "I thought you were upset with me that night, or grossed out. I couldn't stand the feeling, Carter."

"No, I was just confused and shocked and-" she stopped, taking in a breath.

"I don't know. Would you think I was crazy," she said, her voice wavering, "if I told you that I wanted to try again?"

"No," Rosie said, one eyebrow raised, her eyes wide. "Like I said, it's natural to be curious. It could be our secret." The words were uttered quietly, softly, and with a great deal of uncertainty.

Carter nodded, her eyes meeting Rosie's. "If it's secret, then it's not real, right? We can just pretend it's not real."

"Yeah," Rosie said, almost breathless at the thought of trying again. Her mind was on overdrive, and her body was reacting in a way that she knew shouldn't be normal.

"Can we try again now?" Carter asked, and Rosie almost laughed.

Without responding, Rosie gave a small nod, and reached out for Carter's hand, her fingertips pressing into her skin nervously. Suddenly, her own skin felt clammy and flushed, just like earlier, except this time, the room was cool.

It only took seconds for their lips to press into each other's softly, their hearts racing.

--

Thank you guys so much for all the reviews. It's amazing, seriously. And I'm terribly sorry that this chapter took so long for me to write and upload. Nursing school is so busy, and I sometimes feel like I can't keep up with everyting around me. It's like everything's a haze right now, and all I can think about in my head is the function and purpose of all the hormones of the Endocrine System in the body.

But anyway, I did recieve a review asking me why I didn't reply to reviews. Well, I never even thought about it before. Back in the day on fanfiction, it wasn't even a possibility. However, if anybody does want to ask me a question or anything, I will reply. :)

Thank you again for reading my story. I do hope that you enjoy it and that the writing isn't terrible and that it's not moving too fast. I appreciate all of your lovely words. They mean the world to me.


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